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Gujarat
VOTES
2012
BJP tries to reap harvest of VHP hard work in tribal areas
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‘Denied’ promotion, Gen moves AFT
EC raps Moily for LPG cap remark
Govt reaches out to BJP for passage of key economic Bills
Army to get first armed helicopters by March
SC reduces Pak scientist Chisti’s life term, allows him to return home
Zee boss agrees to lie-detector test, its two editors refuse
Security agencies give govt
list of 24 illegal channels
2G: JPC to
re-examine RP Singh
N-capable Agni-I missile test-fired successfully
Left continues to boycott Bengal House
Karnataka Quagmire
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GUJARAT VOTES 2012
Ahmedabad, December 12 Fourth-eight seats in Surendranagar, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Porbandar, Jamnagar, Amreli and Bhavnagar are considered very crucial and decisive as political observers are watching keenly on how former Chief Minister and 'bete noir' of Chief Minister Narendra Modi, Keshubhai Patel factor plays out in the region. On Thursday, voters will also decide the fate of many state political big-wigs who are contesting elections like Keshubhai Patel, Assembly Speaker Ganpat Vasava, Gujarat BJP president R C Faldu, state Congress president Arjun Modhwadia and Leader of Opposition Shaktisinh Gohil. State ministers like Vajubhai Vala, Vasuben Trivedi, Narottam Patel, Mangubhai Patel, Purshottam Solanki, Kiritsinh Rana, Dilip Sanghani, Kanubhai Bhalala, Mohan Kundaria and Ranjit Gilitvala will also be awaiting their fate following tomorrow's voting. For this phase, the BJP has fielded candidates on all 87 seats going to the poll, whereas the Congress is contesting on 84 and the GPP on 83. Apart from these three major parties, there are total 26 political parties and 383 Independents in the fray, which include BJP rebel and sitting MLA Kanubhai Kalsaria, who has formed a new forum, Sadbhavna Manch, and fielded six candidates. Thursday's voting will also decide if Leuva Patel, a politically powerful sub-community of Patidars will be swayed by the appeals and behind the curtain efforts to vote against the Modi government, on the plank of alleged injustice meted out to their leader Keshubhai Patel. Out of total 1,81,77,953 voters there are 95,75,278 male, 86,02,557 female and 118 other voters are likely to exercise their franchise. Among the 846 candidates, 46 female candidates too are in the fray and in the first phase of elections there are 9 such Assembly constituencies where more than one woman candidate is contesting this time. Forty sitting MLAs from BJP and 16 from Congress are also contesting to retain representation in the state Assembly. In the last ditch efforts to woo the voters going to the poll in the first phase, both the major political parties had used their maximum strengths with Congress bringing UPA chairperson and party president Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Sinh and Rahul Gandhi for the campaigning. While BJP, apart from its star campaigner Narendra Modi, brought LK Advani, Navjot Singh Sidhu, Paresh Rawal and Smriti Irani. At the same time, Modi also increased the public meetings through 3D holographic projection technology to reach to the maximum number of voters. Voting of the second phase will take place on December 17 for the remaining 95 seats and counting will be held on December 20. — PTI
Irfan Pathan shares stage with Modi
Kheda: Cricketer Irfan Pathan on Wednesday shared the stage with Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in the campaign rally of BJP, the party which is trying to appease minority community voters in the state. During the rally for the second phase polling in the state, Irfan was seen standing besides the Chief Minister on the huge stage. Irfan, who belongs to Vadodara and has been forced out of cricketing action by an injury, waved his hands to a huge gathering of supporters, who had come to listen Modi's speech.
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BJP tries to reap harvest of VHP hard work in tribal areas
Ahmedabad, December 12 The state unit of the VHP under the direct control of its international president Pravin Togadia, has not only distanced itself from the BJP, its volunteers have also become active to inform the voters that the Hindutva organisation had nothing to do with “any political party.” Dr Togadia, a medical practitioner, has turned a sworn enemy of Modi after the CM disallowed the VHP leader to meddle in the affairs of the administration following his government’s alleged failure to “protect” the Hindus held as accused in the 2002 communal riots in the state. The VHP has informed the media houses and is also taking care to inform the tribal voters that the leaflets allegedly being distributed by the BJP in the name of the VHP to canvass votes for Modi’s candidates were unauthorised and no one should be guided by the appeal. It also pointed out that in the last elections too, the BJP had tried to “mislead” the voters in the name of the VHP and advised people to be cautious this time. The leaflets claimed to bear the signature of its former chief Ashok Singhal but the VHP has disowned them. The differences with Togadia forced Modi to frame his own ambitious “Van-Bandhu Welfare Scheme” with a massive outlay of Rs 14,000 crore to “transform the lives of poor tribals” who constitute nearly 14 per cent of the six crore odd population in the state. But its tardy implementation is not helping his cause. Modi’s targeting the Congress-led UPA government at the centre for “corruption and inflation” has boomeranged among the tribals who feel that implementation of the Van-bandhu scheme had fallen victim of corruption among their local BJP representatives working hand-in-glove with the government officials. “More money is being spent in erecting pandals and organising meetings to inform the tribals about the benefits of the Van-bandhu project than the benefits actually being distributed among them,” commented Mahesh Tadvi, a tribal activist in south Gujarat. He, however, was appreciative of the “grass-root good work” by the VHP. Ahmed Patel, the political adviser to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who hails from the neighbouring Broach district, made Van-bandhu scheme his main target of attack against Modi. At an election meeting recently, he had asked if any from the audience had received “even a penny” from the Van-bandhu scheme and not a single hand was raised. “The Modi government is claimed to have spend Rs 14,000 crore for the welfare of the tribals, but where all the money has gone?” he asked. In Nizhar, Uchhal and other talukas, the people complained that many tribal villages were still without roads or health centres for which money was earmarked from the Van-bandhu scheme. While Modi is trying to woo the tribal voters by promising them additional income through “religious tourism,” he has successfully fueled anger among them against the Congress by refusing to hand over the ownership rights of the earmarked forest lands to the tribal tillers blaming the Congress-led UPA government at the centre for the non-implementation of the policy, a cause most dear to the hearts of the
tribals.
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‘Denied’ promotion, Gen moves AFT
New Delhi, December 12 The case assumes significance as the decision could result in yet another battle for the top post of Army Chief. Lt Gen Ravi Dastane, who is presently posted as Deputy Chief of the Integrated Defence Staff (IDS), has commanded the Leh-based 14 Corps. He had filed his petition contending that he was one of the three most-senior officers when two posts of the Eastern Army Commander and the Western Army Commander fell vacant on May 31, 2012 after General VK Singh retired. While General Bikram Singh, the now Army Chief, vacated his post as the Eastern Army Commander, Western Command chief Lt Gen Shankar Ghosh retired on May 31. Lt Gen Dastane claims that he fulfilled all conditions to become an Army Commander but was denied the post of Eastern Army Commander as it was kept vacant for Lt Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag, who was then facing a vigilance ban, sources said. Gen Suhag is tipped to be the next chief of the Indian Army on the principle of seniority. On May 31, when the two posts of Army Commander fell vacant, three officers were on the seniority list - Lt Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag followed by Lt Gen Sanjiv Chachra and Lt Gen Dastane. While Lt Gen Chachra was promoted as the Western Army Commander, Lt Gen Suhag could not be promoted before the vigilance ban against him was removed on June 8 and his seniority restored on June 15. Lt Gen Dastane has contended that he should have been considered for promotion when Lt Gen Suhag was facing a ban imposed by the then Army Chief General VK Singh. In case, General Dastane gets a favourable verdict, he will be the senior-most General when General Bikram Singh retires on July 31, 2014.
Tussle at the top
On May 31, when the two posts of Army Commander fell vacant, three officers were on the seniority list - Lt Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag followed by Lt Gen Sanjiv Chachra and Lt Gen Ravi Dastane Lt Gen Suhag could not be promoted as there was a vigilance ban against him Lt Gen Chachra was promoted as the Western Army Commander Lt Gen Dastane has contended that he should have been considered for promotion in that scenario Ban against Lt Gen Suhag was removed on June 8 and his seniority restored on June 15
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EC raps Moily for LPG cap remark New Delhi, December 12 In a letter issued tonight, the commission has cautioned Moily and advised him to “circumspect in the future”. The commission said: “You have not denied having made the statement as reported in the media to which the commission has taken exception.” The commission has termed the promise of increasing the cap on subsidised cylinders a violation of the model code of conduct, which prohibits ministers and other authorities from making financial grants in any form. A statement to increase the number of subsidised cylinders from six to nine per annum tantamounts to a financial promise, it said. “Such a statement does have an impact on the minds of the electors in Gujarat where the election are scheduled on December 13 and 17,” the commission said. The commission had yesterday taken suo motu cognizance of the media reports and asked Moily to submit his explanation by 11 am today. Moily today said the government has not yet taken any decision on raising cap on supply of subsidised LPG cylinders and the EC would have been informed before announcing any decision. "If the proposals had been concretised and it was to be announced or decision was to be taken... I would have definitely written to Election Commission of India," Moily told reporters here. Moily said the government had consistently maintained that the decision to cap supply of subsidised cooking gas (LPG) to six cylinders per household in a year is under review following widespread demands. "Not that I would like to do anything for political gain behind the back of the EC. That is not our intention. We are very clear about it. We are very transparent and objective about it," he said. Poll Code violated The EC has termed the promise of increasing the cap on subsidised cylinders a violation of the model code of conduct The code prohibits ministers and other authorities from making financial grants in any form
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Govt reaches out to BJP for passage of key economic Bills
New Delhi, December 12 While the Supplementary Demands for Grants, which is now under consideration in the Lok Sabha, is likely to be cleared by the House, Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday said he had reached out to the leaders of the Bhartiya Janata Party, the principal Opposition party, for passage of five key Bills. “I have discussed all five economic reforms Bills with the two Leaders of Opposition (Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley). I sincerely hope that the principal Opposition party will cooperate,” the Finance Minister said here. With just six working days left in the Winter Session, the Finance Minister conveyed the urgency in the matter and said that the two Opposition leaders understood the situation. The Bills pending consideration and passage by Parliament include Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill, Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill, Micro Finance Institutions (Development and Regulation) Bill and Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Bill. When the Banking Law (Amendment) Bill came up before the Lok Sabha this week, the BJP insisted that it be referred back to the standing committee on the grounds that at least three new provisions have been added since the panel scrutinised the Bill and reported it back to the House. On his part, the minister ruled it out. The Banking Bill seeks to facilitate issuance of new banking licences and gives the Reserve Bank of India greater powers; the Insurance Bill aims to increase FDI cap in the sector to 49 per cent. While the Left parties are opposed to the move, the Congress-led UPA is banking on the BJP to ensure passage of these proposed legislations.
Chidambaram hoped that all the economic reform Bills would be passed.
Two bills — Money Laundering (Amendment) Bill, 2011, and Enforcement of Security Interest and Recovery of Debts Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2011 — have already been passed by the Lok Sabha this session. "I have got two passed in the Lok Sabha. One has gone to the Rajya Sabha," Chidambaram said.
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Army to get first armed helicopters by March
New Delhi, December 12 The Army will soon get the first two squadrons of 10 helicopters each of such armed helicopters. The initial operational clearance for the indigenously produced armed helicopter ‘Rudra’ will be accorded in the next few days, paving the way for the induction of the first squadron before March 2013, sources confirmed today. The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has submitted its proposal seeking clearance from the Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC), Ministry of Defence. This will be an important milestone as the Indian inventory of armed helicopters - the Mi-35 - currently has a flying ceiling of 10,000-12,000 feet. The Rudra, powered by a new Shakti engine and co-developed by French company Turbomeca, will fly up to 20,000 feet. The Himalayas rise above this altitude along large parts of the India-China frontier. The weapons, a M6-21 20 mm gun and 70 mm rockets with a range of 8 km, have been tested in the hot, cold and humid climates. The anti-tank guided missiles and the air-to-air-missiles for the first lot are likely to be imported. The engine can carry a full weapon load to altitudes of 20,000 feet, said sources. The Army has contracted to buy 60 such helicopters. The final plan is to have an aviation brigade with each of the 13 corps of the Indian Army. Each corps will have 10 (one squadron) armed helicopters, one squadron of reconnaissance helicopters and a squadron of utility helicopters. The helicopter, which derives its name from Rigvedic god for wind, storm and hunt, is the armed version of the advanced light helicopter (ALH) that is already in service in India. It is equipped with integrated sensors, weapons and electronic warfare suite using an upgraded version of the glass cockpit used in the Mk-III of the ALH. The cockpit avionics are among the best. The sensors include stabilised day and night cameras, infrared imaging, as well as laser ranging and designation. The EW suite consists of missile approach warning system, laser and radar warning systems and automated sensors covering all envisaged threats. It has automatic dispensation of countermeasures like chaff and fare dispensing systems.
Aerial firepower
Can reach up to 20,000 feet; current fleet of Mi-35 can touch 12,000 feet Is equipped with a M6-21 20 mm gun, 70 mm rockets, anti-tank and air-to-air-missiles The Army to buy 60 such helicopters; to raise aviation brigades with each of its 13 corps
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SC reduces Pak scientist Chisti’s life term, allows him to return home
New Delhi, December 12 The trial court had convicted him on the charge of murdering a person in Ajmer in April 1992 when he was on a visit to India to see his ailing mother. A Bench comprising Justices P Sathasivam and Ranjan Gogoi today ruled that Chisti could have been convicted only for causing hurt under Section 324 of the Indian Penal Code, and not under Section 302 for murder, as both the sides involved in a clash were armed. “We feel that the ends of justice would be met by altering the sentence to the period already undergone,” the Supreme Court held. The Supreme Court also directed the court authorities to return the Rs 5 lakh offered as security by Chisti at the instance of the Bench for allowing him to visit Pakistan in May this year. The apex court also reduced the sentences of two other accused in the case, Yasir Chisti and Akil Chisti, to the periods already undergone by them — 11 and 10 months respectively.
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Zee boss agrees to lie-detector test, its two editors refuse
New Delhi, December 12 Chandra’s lawyer, Vijay Aggarwal, today argued in a Delhi court that the police should instead conduct a lie detector test on Jindal. The Congress MP has placed allegations against the two Zee News editors for attempting to extort Rs 100 crore worth advertisement agreement from his company- Jindal Steel and Power Limited. “The bias of the investigating agency is established from the fact that the investigating officer prayed for the lie detector test of the respondent (Chandra) and other accused (Sudhir Chaudhary, the editor of Zee News and Samir Ahluwalia, the editor of Zee Business News). But to ascertain the truth the investigating officer ought to have prayed for the lie-detector test of Naveen Jindal,” read the application submitted by Aggarwal at the court. On November 27, Chaudhary and Ahluwalia were arrested for the alleged extortion attempt. They have not given their consent for undergoing a lie-detector test in regard to the case. But, have agreed to give their voice samples to the police. Metropolitan Magistrate Gaurav Rao, however, today ordered Chandra and the accused, Chaudhary and Ahluwalia, to appear before the court tomorrow. It will be the first time that Chandra will appear before the court. The magistrate said that according to a Supreme Court law their presence is required to dispose the police applications, which were submitted on December 10. The applications mentioned that the police sought to conduct lie-detector tests for Chandra, Ahluwalia and Chaudhary. They also want to collect the voice samples of the two editors.
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Security agencies give govt
list of 24 illegal channels
New Delhi, December 11 These amendments include making transmission of illegal channels a cognizable offence and enhancing the existing financial penalties in the act with a view to discourage cable operators from transmitting illegal channels. Sources here explained that there were more than 90 TV channels of foreign origin in India which were down-linked legally in this country. Any other channel which has not sought this permission was technically in violation of the country’s norms and regulations.
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2G: JPC to
re-examine RP Singh
New Delhi, December 12
The decision to recall RP Singh came after BJP’s JPC member Yashwant Sinha wrote to committee chairman PC Chacko seeking to re-examine the former Deputy CAG in the wake of his recent claims about the loss figure as projected by the CAG.
RP Singh had claimed that the presumptive loss of Rs 1.76 lakh crore given by CAG was not part of the draft report prepared by him and his report didn’t contain any such figure.
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N-capable Agni-I missile test-fired successfully
Balasore, December 12 The surface-to-surface missile was test-fired from a mobile launcher at about 0830 hrs from launch pad-4 of the Integrated Test Range
(ITR) at Wheeler Island, about 100 km from here, defence sources said. Describing the test as successful, ITR Director MVKV Prasad said, "It was a practice trial conducted by the Strategic Force Command of the Indian
Army." Agni-I, a single-stage missile powered by solid propellants, has a specialised navigation system which ensures that it reaches the target with a high degree of accuracy and precision, a defence scientist said. Weighing 12
tonnes, the 15-metre-long Agni-I, which is capable of carrying payloads up to 1,000 kg, has already been inducted into the Indian
Army. Agni-I has been developed by advanced systems laboratory, the premier missile development laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation
(DRDO) in collaboration with Defence Research Development Laboratory and Research Centre Imarat and integrated by Bharat Dynamics Limited,
Hyderabad. The last trial of the Agni-I missile was successfully carried out on July 13, 2012 from the same test range. — PTI
Navigation system
Agni-I, a single-stage missile powered by solid propellants, has a specialised navigation system which ensures that it reaches the target with a high degree of accuracy and precision
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Left continues to boycott Bengal House
Kolkata, December 12 The Speaker ordered an official inquiry into the incident when the security staff reportedly failed to take precautionary measures to maintain peace and normalcy in the Assembly. Yesterday, the Assembly had turned into a virtual battlefield when ruling Trinamool Congress and Opposition CPM members scuffled and traded blows resulting in injuries to three MLAs, with the Speaker suspending three Marxist members for the remainder of the short Winter Session. TMC MLA Sikha Mitra, wife of party MP Somen Mitra was served a suspension notice by the party .
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BJP puts off action against rebels
Tribune News Service
Bangalore December 12 On December 8, Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar dropped a minister from his cabinet and the party suspended a Lok Sabha member for siding with Yeddyurappa. Despite this warning, 14 MLAs and seven MLCs shared the dais with Yeddyurappa at the Haveri rally where Yeddyurappa formally launched his Karnataka Janata Party (KJP). Several ministers, four Lok Sabha members and some more MLAs were present at a breakfast meeting hosted by Yeddyurappa at Haveri in the morning of December 9. The ministers, MPs and some of these MLAs, however, did not attend the rally fearing disciplinary action. After Yeddyurappa’s rally, the BJP asserted that the core committee of the party would meet on Wednesday and finalise the action to be taken against the 21 lawmakers, including 14 MLAs who were present at the rally. However, the assertion turned out to be a damp squib. “We discussed the issue and will write to our central leadership today or tomorrow on our stand”, BJP state president KS Eshwarappa today told reporters at Belgaum in North Karnataka where the winter session of the state Assembly is underway. Besides Eshwarappa, others who took part in the core committee meeting included Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, former Chief Minister Sadananda Gowda and Home Minister R Ashoka. Taking disciplinary action such as initiating the process of disqualification against the 14 rebel MLAs will reduce the state government to minority. The Assembly elections in the state are due in May next year. The MLAs, who attended the December 9 rally, are taking part in the Assembly session oblivious to their presence beside Yeddyurappa when he launched a new party and severely criticised the BJP. Yeddyurappa is also reluctant to ask his loyalists to resign from the Assembly and bring down the Shettar-led government.
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Truck mows down 5 workers in UP
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Gujarat would exercise their franchise tomorrow for 87 seats in the first phase of the 182-member Gujarat Assembly elections where 1.81 crore voters will decide the fate of 846 candidates. 
New Delhi, December 12
The VHP had launched massive tribal welfare projects, particularly schools, health centres and providing agricultural aids to arrest religious conversions of the poor tribals by the Christian missionaries in the late nineties in Dangs district which many believed was the original “Dandakaranya” of the Ramayana era. The BJP had reaped the benefits of the VHP activities in the last two elections, but the party is not sure whether it would be able to give a repeat performance this time. 
Rudra is the armed version of the advanced light helicopter co-developed by a French firm
